The Evan Longoria trade caught many off surprise. In its wake many many have questioned who will play third in 2018, and whether the Tampa Bay Rays received enough in return for the former face of the franchise.

Neither answer is simple.

As it relates to the former, while it would be great to see Arroyo, a home grown product from Brooksville, step right in into Longoria’s spikes, that’s likely not going to happen. Matt Duffy, who was acquired from the Giants in 2016, is presumably ready to go. His 4.9 fWAR rating at the hot corner — a number that is better than Longoria’s 2017 Gold Glove campaign rating — makes Duffy the heir apparent.

Moreover, Arroyo broke his left hand on July 1, 2017 when he was hit by a pitch. He then re-aggrivated the injury in the Dominican Republic in October, and had to have surgery in which a stabilizing plate was inserted. He should be cleared for baseball activity in early January and be ready for spring training. Even then he is just 22 years-old.

And though he appeared in 34 games for San Francisco last season, he only stepped to the plate 102 times at the Triple-A level, having moved fairly quickly through the Giants organization after being drafted in 2013. Still, Dave Cameron (FanGraphs) tagged Arroyo with a $38-million surplus value, before his injury.

On Christian Arroyo

As Ian Malinowski (DRaysBay) suggested last week, “the mean projection for Longoria and Arroyo has them as likely to produce similar amounts of surplus value over the course of their remaining team control.” That is, while Arroyo might not appear in a Rays’ jersey this season, he could tally something to that of a later-era Longoria.

As it relates to the latter, Arroyo was the top prospect in the Giants system, and 57th overall. It should be noted that San Francisco has one of the weaker farm systems in Major League Baseball.

The infielder was ranked fourth in the recently released Baseball America list of prospects, down from second the previous season due to the aforementioned injury. Arroyo was given a 50 Future Value with medium risk in the 2017 Prospect Handbook:

Scouts have long been confident Arroyo will hit for average. He has a straightforward swing and has demonstrated time and time again he has the hand-eye and bat-to-ball skills of a pure hitter. At this point, the general consensus among evaluators is that 10-15 home runs is the most that can be expected from Arroyo — he’s yet to reach double digits in home runs in any season.

Arroyo earned his first big league callup in late April, although after just 70 plate Triple-A plate appearances it became abundantly clear that the (then) 21 year-old wasn’t ready to face Major League pitching. He slashed just .192 BA/.244 OBP/.304 SLG/.548 OPS/44 wRC+ in 135 plate appearances.

Arroyo is a polarizing prospect in that many believe he can be an everyday infielder, while others don’t feel he will hit enough to be more than a replacement level bench player.

As JT Morgan (DRaysBay) wrote, “if Arroyo can hit for enough batting average that makes his overall line around league average with above average defense at second base. That gives you a solid three win second baseman with six years of team control remaining. In order for the OBP and SLG to be high enough you’ll likely need to see the batting average close to .300.”

On Stephen Woods and Matt Krook

Woods is a hurler with control problems, but would have ranked 25th in the Giants Top 30. Chris Mitchell (FanGraphs) writes that it’s almost a certainty that the right-hander won’t crack the big leagues:

Woods pitched to a 2.95 ERA as a starter last year but did so as a 22-year-old in Low-A. Woods also walked a concerning 13% of opposing batters, which suggests luck played a role in his shiny ERA. Woods’ numbers have been fine but aren’t terribly impressive coming from a college draftee in Low-A.

Krook was graded favorably on his fastball and curveball, and boasts an above average slider. And though he has limited contact to grounders (+64.0% groundball rate through the minors), control problems have set him back:

Krook has good stuff but hasn’t had much luck using it to get batters out, writes Mitchell. Command issues have yielded walk rates well into the double-digits, including a 16% clip last year. Krook is a 6-foot-4 lefty who strikes guys out, which gives him a glimmer of hope, but 22-year-olds with crappy numbers in A-ball are a dime a dozen.

With all this in mind, the success of this deal is contingent upon Arroyo. He projects to be a league average hitter with a limited power potential and a low walk rate. At worst Arroyo will be relegated to utility infielder duty.

Critics of the deal — much like myself — would have preferred to see another quality prospect thrown in for good measure, especially since the Rays tossed in $10 to $15-million to cover a portion of Longoria’s remaining $86-million as well as a deferred $2-million trade bonus.

It has been a long, emotionally exhausting day for fans of the Tampa Bay Rays, many of whom were devastated by the news Wednesday, of Evan Longoria’s trade to the San Francisco Giants. Longoria was the longest tenured Ray, and the last remaining rostered player from the 2008 ball club. Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) was the first to break the news.

The Rays, in return, received 22 year-old infielder Christian Arroyo, pitchers Stephen Woods and Matt Krook, and veteran outfielder Denard Span. In addition to taking on Span’s contract — $11-million in 2018 with a $4-million buyout on his 2019 option — Tampa Bay will ship between $10-million and $15-million to San Francisco to cover a portion of Longoria’s remaining $86-million as well as a deferred $2-million trade bonus.

Don’t have exact figure but heard #Rays are sending #Giants in the $10M to $15M range to cover some of Longoria’s deferred salary and $2M trade bonus,

Put another way, the cost conscious Rays — whose owner, Stu Sternberg, tends to find a way to cry financial woe at any given opportunity — swapped Longoria for Span (and three prospects) for a net savings of -$7.5-million to -$12.5-million next season. Yes you read that correctly, a negative net amount of money.

I digress.

To be sure, there is quite a bit of risk for San Francisco in acquiring Longoria. The Giants are taking on a moderately-priced player who struggled to a career-low .261 BA/.313 OBP/.424 SLG/.737 OPS line in 2017 — adding to a roster of costly, aging veterans. From a performance point of view, Longoria has seen better days and his best years are behind him, both at the plate and in the field.

Evan Longoria’s wOBA by season. (Credit: FanGraphs)

Evan Longoria’s wOBA by season. (Credit: FanGraphs)

With the exception of a modest jump in production in 2015, not to mention a significant spike in productivity in 2016, Longoria has watched his wOBA drop pretty consistently in three of his past five seasons.

He also played through a rather startling drop in exit velocity last season, which Jeff Sullivan (FanGraphs) wrote about:

In 2015, he averaged about 90 miles per hour. In 2016, he averaged about 91. In 2017, he averaged about 87. There are 293 players who knocked at least 100 batted balls in each of the past two seasons. Longoria showed the eighth-greatest exit-velocity drop. And in case you’re wondering what that could mean, the 25 biggest drops between 2015 and 2016 averaged about -2.4 miles per hour. Come 2017, there was absolutely zero recovery, again on average. The exit velocities remained lower.

Something could be awry here, then. Longoria is missing some pop. He is, at least, coming off a career-high contact rate, and there’s value in balls in play, but the Longoria of old might be gone forever. He might now be a contact-hitting adequate defensive third baseman with roughly average power.

(Credit: FanGraphs)

Likewise, Longoria observed a downturn in the field starting around 2014, although he did post a +11 Defensive Runs Saved in his 2017 campaign.

His strong glove work in 2017 allowed him to accrue a 2.5 fWAR for the tenth consecutive +WAR season, yet when compared to Matt Duffy — who performed to a 4.9 fWAR at the hot corner in 2015 — it stands to reason that there should not be a reduction in quality at third in Longoria’s absence … that is, as long as Duffy is healthy.

Never thought there would be a day where you weren’t a Ray. We will do everything we can to continue the legacy that you created. I’ll never forget the things I learned from you.
It was such a pleasure to stand along side you on the diamond. You’ll be missed, everyday. pic.twitter.com/xGntiRLKBY

But not all things can and should be quantified. Longoria represented something more than just numbers, and that’s why this trade hurts so much. He also was a leader off the field, positively impacting the communities on both sides of the bridge, which our good friend Ray Roa (Creative Loafing) noted:

Proceeds from a recent signature blend of Kahwa coffee went toward Hurricane Irma relief efforts. He once partnered with Red Bull to rehab the historic Belmont Heights Little League Fields, which produced four Little League World Series teams and played incubator to major-leaguers like Gary Sheffield and Dwight Gooden. In 2011, he teamed up with Moffitt Cancer Center to raise thousands of dollars for research and continued working with the organization in the years that followed. He donated $100 to St. Pete’s PetPal Animal Shelter every time he hit home run — as did Bright House (now Spectrum), the Rays and Ducky’s. To date, his home runs have raised $61,300 for Pet Pal.

Moreover, his family helped opened a new wing in Great Explorations Children’s Museum in St. Petersburg, and his restaurant sponsored sections at the Trop when vendor troubles impacted the facility. Pair all that with his humility and love for everything this area has to offer. It wasn’t uncommon to see him around town at the Banyan Cafe or Mazzaro’s Italian Market, or playing with his children at Crescent Lake Park.

Beer and art nerds rejoiced… Longoria supported the local craft beer community, partnering with Doug Dozark and Cycle Brewing to brew the signature beer, Ducky’s Pils, for his restaurant Ducky’s Sports Lounge, which also features a mural from local artist Bask painted on its facade.

It’s a sad, yet true, realization that in order to be a Rays fan, you must also be cognizant that change is always around the corner. Longoria acknowledged as much Wednesday afternoon, saying:

I have mentioned in the past that it would be tough for me to sit around and (theoretically) lose 100 games, and when you go through a rebuild there will be tough times, and I didn’t know if I was ready to go through that so that we had a chance to compete. I’ve never had meetings like this before. They were pretty pointed. It was much more real this offseason. I’ve always wished that maybe they would decide to commit to adding to the roster and trying to contend year in and year out. I understand that’s not the way the Rays have done it historically. There’s a part of me that is let down, but it’s been the way that its been as long as I’ve been here. So it’s not too much of a surprise.

We’ve been through this countless times, yet it doesn’t get any easier. This time feels different though. Longoria committed himself to retiring as a Ray, and he wanted to stay.

I think I’ve been pretty upfront about wanting to be in Tampa (Bay) for my whole career, but I realize that my window is getting smaller to win a championship, Longoria said. If they decide to rebuild completely and give everyone up, then I suppose my family and I will adjust.

Longo signed a pair of team-friendly contracts, and rewarded the team, and fan base, with name recognition that made the Rays more than a laughing stock within the AL East. Now, however, the Rays again look like a 4A breeding ground from which to pillage.

Sorry to break it to you Danny, but the #Rays only committed the equivalent of 30-years worth of Wilson Ramos’ salary to a stadium project. Trying to squeeze 1 oz. of shit from an owner who gives 0 fucks is pointless. Fuck Stu Sternberg, and his fake ass “woe is me” posturing.

He was our Chipper Jones, our Derek Jeter, our Adrián Beltré. He was everything every Rays fan could hope for in a franchise player, but knew we could never have. We were spoiled for a decade, but now we know better than to hedge our bets on an ownership that frankly couldn’t care less for the fans. Perhaps it’s wiser to purchase nameless and numberless shirseys and jerseys from here on out.

Dare I say a tacit, yet deafening, message has been sent to any would be player who is mulling over the decision to sign a long-term contract with the Rays: don’t bother. After all, the team will probably trade you regardless of your commitment. I would imagine the same to be true for Kevin Kiermaier and Chris Archer, both of whom are locked up in team friendly contracts. Perhaps Jake Odorizzi and Alex Cobb had it right all along?

Sadly this decision could be a precursor to further action. The front office has been in talks on closer Alex Colome all winter, and many anticipate the trade of a starter, with Odorizzi representing the most realistic possibility. But all of that is just consternation at the moment.

Writing 1,200+ words on the subject hasn’t been easy, and I haven’t even scratched the surface on my personal thoughts or feelings on Longoria, or the package the Rays received in return. That will come once I’ve had a chance to completely digest everything. But for the moment irrational/emotional me has to settle a debate between rational me and analytical me. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I now know your internal conflict.

The team’s principal owner apparently is not budging on the unknown parameters of his initial proclamation, despite a reported windfall that all 30 MLB owners are expected to receive, thanks to the $1.58-billion sale of BAMTech to Disney.

How’s about this: Stu Sternberg can keep $25-million for himself, then use the other $25-million to increase the payroll. https://t.co/KS1x5jgDVQ

The terms of the deal stipulate that each owner will receive a cool $50-million, and while the Rays’ benevolent owner could use that money toward fielding a competitive team in 2018, as they say, don’t count on it.

On the bright side, the Rays have already shed +$20-million in payroll, thanks to players not returning next season. Yet they still intend to trade players to offset the costs of arbitration and guaranteed deals. The team sits in a similar place payroll wise as they did at the start of the 2017 season, yet they still need to fill other spots/roles.

…And so it goes, with trade rumors swirling around Evan Longoria — I’ll touch on him in a moment — Jake Odorizzi, Alex Colome, and Chris Archer.

According to Mike Berardino (Pioneer Press) teams are not having an easy time prying prying Odorizzi out of Tampa Bay.

#Rays remain open to dealing RHP Jake Odorizzi (among others) but have made it clear to potential trade partners they will have to “extend” to get their attention.

The Rays have let potential trade partners know they’ll have to “extend” for a shot at Odorizzi.

Colome has received a sizable amount of attention on the trade market, especially from St. Louis — whom the Rays are engaged with on multiple trade scenarios — however, a deal hasn’t yet been completed. That may indicate that some teams with interest still want to explore other options.

Tampa Bay probably would not have any trouble finding a taker for Archer thanks to his compelling peripherals, age, and team-friendly contract…but that only is if he is truly made available.

As for Longoria, the biggest cheerleader for a deal involving the face of the franchise appears to be Marc Topkin, the only beat writer in the area (besides Bill Chastain of MLB.com and Neil Solondz) for the team. Granted where there’s smoke there’s fire, although Topkin’s argument for a trade — the front office wants to deal Longoria before his 10-and-5 rights kick in this spring — has been picked up by other sports writers or outlets, which further the whispers to their respective readers. That is to say MLB Trade Rumors, among others, has based their reporting on Topkin’s word, as opposed to any credible research of their own. For his part Topkin is a credible writer, has acknowledged that Longoria could waive his 10-and-5 rights if a trade was to happen after they kick in, and until recently posed all discussions surrounding the Rays’ third-basemen in hypothetical terms.

One shouldn’t simply discount Topkin, nor should they ignore the fact that Longoria’s name probably has come up in trade discussions. But to paraphrase Solondz, To me this year is no different from any other in terms of way the way the Rays operate. If there are more rumors about a player it may mean there’s more interest in that individual.

The fact remains that the Rays have not undergone a complete roster overhaul in Sternberg’s 10+ years of ownership, so why would they start now by dealing the face of the franchise now?

As Danny Russell (DRaysBay) put it:

The only philosophically consistent aspect of a Longoria trade rumor is that the Rays front office has never said a player is untouchable. Another team is always free to offer a trade suggestion, just as the Rays are always free to laugh. To be sure, if they trade Longoria this off-season it would fundamentally change everything we know about this franchise. But nothing’s impossible.

Evan Longoria is a franchise third baseman with stellar defense on a team friendly contract. If he remains with the Rays his number will be retired in a beautiful new stadium in Ybor City. He’s not ready to let that moment slip away, and neither is the front office.

While I certainly don’t buy the whole “beautiful new stadium in Ybor City” sentiment, the rest holds up.

I don’t doubt that Topkin knows more than the rest of us when speaking in terms in the engagement of trade discussions between the Rays with other teams, which likely includes Longoria. Then again, perhaps there’s something to be said for the calm steady bleat of Chastain and Solondz.

Dare I say that Topkin might realize Longoria’s name is tantamount to clickbait, and his speculation attracts the eyes of others?

Noteworthiness

— Not to sully the name of Evan Longoria, or dampen the hopes of those who are pushing for a trade of the Rays third baseman, but as Mark Simon (ESPN) tweeted, Longoria’s peripherals have been on the slide the last few seasons. That’s not to say he isn’t a valuable player. However, the Rays likely would not receive a ransom’s loot for Longoria, if they indeed are actively shopping the face of the franchise.

The 2017 Winter Meetings came to a conclusion Thursday morning with the Rule-5 Draft, in which the Tampa Bay Rays lost one minor leaguer, RHP Burch Smith, before heading back to sunny St. Petersburg.

The Rays, however, did not lose catcher Nick Ciuffo, who was left unprotected. Ciuffo was promoted to Double-A Montgomery after the 2016 season, and he is coming off his first complete campaign with the Biscuits. He performed to a .245 BA/.319 OBP/.385 SLG/.704 OPS line in 2017, so he clearly isn’t yet a finished product.

In the minor league portion of the Rule-5 Draft, Tampa Bay picked RHP Francisco German from the Tigers organization. German went 8-7 with a 3.26 ERA in the New York Penn League 2017, all below the full-season level. However, the Rays lost INF Riley Unroe to the Angels, OF Angel Moreno to the Cardinals, and C Rafelin Lorenzo to the Pirates.

The Rays currently have 39 players on the 40-man roster, and did not make a selection in the MLB portion of the Rule-5 Draft, indicating the team could be close to a deal.

#Rays & #Cardinals likely not to deal today. @dgoold (St Louis Post Dispatch) reported Cards executives left meetings with a “good feel for what TB would be willing to move and what a variety of deals would look like with the Rays,” potentially involving Alex Colome and/or others

Rays VP of Baseball Operations, Chaim Bloom, said talks remain in the advanced stages, likely with the St. Louis Cardinals — presumably for RHP Alex Colome and potentially another player. Executives from both teams left the meetings with a good feel for the pieces (potentially) made available to them by each club.

The Cardinals are also connected to Manny Machado, temporarily quelling the fears of those who do not want to see the face of the franchise, Evan Longoria, get traded away — for better or worse.

Matt Duffy has worked his way back to health and is expected to be ready to go when players report to camp this spring. Bloom told Steve Kinsella (Sports Talk Florida) it was a frustrating year for Duffy and the Rays.

He worked his tail off. He is a tremendous guy, tremendous work ethic, we missed him this year.

Read into that what you will. After all, Duffy performed to a 4.9 WAR in 2015 at third base in San Francisco — thanks to consistent hitting and solid defense — and would be the heir apparent to the position should the Rays trade Longoria. Then again Duffy is a shortstop by trade and could easily slot back into that position, where he was projected to play in 2017, or into the right side of the infield at second base.

One thing is certain, however, despite shedding +$20-million in payroll, thanks to players not returning in 2018, the Rays still intend to trade players to offset arbitration and guaranteed deals. The team sits in a similar place payroll wise as they did at the start of the 2017 season, yet they still need to fill other spots/roles.

One of the things about this week, and I think it’s always this way to some degree but this year more so, it’s a fortunate position to be in — we have a number of players that teams like, Bloom said. And that expands the amount of possibilities that pop up. So there’s not necessarily one specific thing that we’re zeroed in on. There’s a number of different possibilities that we’re trying to weigh.

The Rays, historically, have been quiet during the Winter Meetings, and things don’t typically start heating up until the period between December and February. As Bill Chastain (MLB.com) put it prior to the start of the Winter Meetings, “it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Neander and Bloom could use the meetings as an opportunity to gather information,” which they evidently did.

The team announced the signing of seven players to minor league deals. They also invited that group, along with six prospects, to Major League Spring Training camp with the Rays. LHP Jonny Venters, who returns to the Rays organization as he continues his comeback effort, is one of the veteran invitees.

Venters spent the last three seasons in the Rays system as he recovered from a pair of Tommy John elbow surgeries, and an additional procedure, in his attempt to get back to the big leagues for the first time since 2012 with Braves. Last season he made it as far as Triple-A Durham, where he appeared in 24 games with a 2.28 ERA. Making it all the way back to the big leagues would make for an incredible story.

The other six players who signed include southpaws Adam Kolarek (pitched with Tampa Bay in 2017) and Vidal Nuño, right-handers R.J. Alaniz, Cody Hall, and Colton Murray, and INF/OF Brandon Snyder.

They join five players already in the system, who also received an invitation to Major League Spring Training: outfielders Jason Coats and Johnny Field, 1B/OF Joe McCarthy, C Nick Ciuffo, INF Kean Wong and RHP Ian Gibaut.

Here is information on the 13 invitees from the Rays PR department:

Alaniz (AH-lah-NIECE): has spent parts of eight minor league seasons in the Houston Astros (2010–15) and Detroit Tigers (2016–17) organizations. The 26-year-old is 42–37 lifetime with a 4.34 ERA (629-IP, 303-ER) in 209 appearances (83 starts). Over the past two seasons, he has split time between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo in the Detroit system, pitching to a 2.94 ERA (144-IP, 47-ER) in 95 appearances (10 starts) over that span.

Coats: Missed last year due to Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old made his major league debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2016, appearing in 28 games (14 starts). He was claimed off waivers by the Rays in January but subsequently released and re-signed to a minor league contract after it was learned he needed surgery. Coatswas selected by the White Sox in the 29th round of the 2012 June Draft out of Texas Christian University. In four seasons in the White Sox organization, he hit .287/.337/.458 (529-for-1,846) with 54 home runs and 286 RBI.

Ciuffo (SHOO-foe): was named the organization’s Best Defensive Catcher by Baseball America and Defensive Player of the Year by the Rays baseball operations department in 2017, his second straight season receiving each honor. The 22-year-old spent the entire 2017 season with Double-A Montgomery, batting .245/.319/.385 (91-for-371) and establishing career highs in doubles (29), home runs (seven) and RBI (42). He also threw out 23 of 60 (38.3 percent) potential base stealers and was named to the Southern League postseason All-Star Team. Ciuffo was a 2013 first round pick of the Rays.

Field: spent last season with Triple-A Durham, batting .261/.303/.425 (116-for-445) with 12 home runs and 57 RBI. In addition the 26-year-old had 35 doubles, ranking second in the International League, one shy of the league lead. Fieldwas selected by the Rays in the fifth round of the 2013 June Draft and has hit .270/.330/.444 (549-for-2,032) across five minor league seasons. This will be his third major league spring training with the Rays.

Gibaut (gih-BOH): split last season between Class-A Charlotte and Montgomery, going 7–1 with a 2.21 ERA (61-IP, 15-ER) and 11.4 SO/9 IP ratio in 48 relief appearances. In addition, the 24-year-old had 12 saves, fourth among Rays minor leaguers. He was selected by the Rays in the 11th round of the 2015 June Draft out of Tulane University. In three minor league seasons as a reliever, he is 12–4 with a 2.32 ERA (147.2-IP, 38-ER) and 178 strikeouts over 94 appearances.

Hall: has made a combined nine appearances in the majors with the San Francisco Giants (2015) and Miami Marlins (2016). The 29-year-old started last season pitching for Lancaster in the independent Atlantic League, and finished the season with Double-A Richmond (Giants). The 19th round selection in 2011 of the Giants is 17–13 with a 2.87 ERA (301.1-IP, 96-ER) in 245 appearances, all in relief, over seven minor league seasons.

Kolarek (koh-LAIR-ick): made his major league debut with the Rays last season, and pitched to a 6.48 ERA (8.1-IP, 6-ER) in 12 appearances across two stints in the majors. The 28-year-old has spent eight minor league seasons in the New York Mets (2010–15) and Rays (2016–17) organizations, going 24–22 with a 3.32 ERA (455-IP, 168-ER) in 331 appearances (two starts). He was selected by the Mets in the 11th round of the 2010 June Draft. Kolarek first joined the Rays organization after being selected from the Baltimore Orioles in the minor league phase of the 2015 Rule 5 Draft.

McCarthy: hit .284/.409/.434 (129-for-454) with 31 doubles, eight triples, seven home runs, 56 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 127 games with Montgomery last season. The 23-year-old was named to the Southern League postseason All-Star Team and was ranked by Baseball America as the league’s Best Defensive First Baseman and Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Rays organization. He ranked among league leaders in batting average (10th), on-base percentage (second), doubles (tied for third), triples (tied for first), runs scored (tied for fourth) and walks (first). McCarthy was selected by the Rays in the fifth round of the 2015 June Draft out of the University of Virginia. Over three seasons he’s hit .283/.396/.415 (280-for-989) with 15 home runs and 137 RBI.

Murray: has spent his entire career in the Philadelphia Phillies organization until now. The 27-year-old combined to make 32 appearances in the majors from 2015–16. Murray split last season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Double-A Reading, going 2–2 with a 4.58 ERA (53-IP, 27-ER) and 63 strikeouts in 41 appearances. Selected by the Phillies in the 13th round of the 2011 June Draft out of the University of Kansas, Murray has a 3.44 ERA (400.2-IP, 153-ER) across seven minor league seasons.

Nuño: has spent parts of five seasons in the majors, going 5–21 with a 4.29 ERA (344-IP, 164-ER) in 138 appearances (42 starts) with the New York Yankees (2013–14), Arizona Diamondbacks (2014–15), Seattle Mariners (2015–16) and Orioles (2017). The 30-year-old lefty spent last season in the Orioles organization and spent three stints in the majors — including the Opening Day roster out of spring training. In 2016, he made a career-high 55 appearances with the Mariners, posting a 3.53 ERA (58.2-IP, 23-ER) and 4.64 SO/BB ratio. Originally selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 48th round of the 2009 June Draft, Nuno has a 3.01 ERA (470-IP, 157-ER) over seven minor league seasons.

Snyder: has appeared in the majors in parts of five seasons with the Orioles (2010–11), Texas Rangers (2012), Boston Red Sox (2013) and Atlanta Braves (2016). A career .242/.279/.459 (47-for-194) hitter with nine home runs and 29 RBI in 120 games (38 starts; 18–1B, 13–3B, 3-RF, 2-LF, 2-DH), the 31-year-old Snyder spent all of last season with Triple-A Syracuse in the Washington Nationals organization. He batted .263/.356/.490 (110-for-418) with a career-high 23 home runs. Baltimore’s first round pick (13th overall) in the 2005 June Draft has hit .273/.338/.443 (1,076-for-3,947) with 254 doubles, 129 home runs and 636 RBI over 13 minor league seasons.

Venters: is trying to complete a terrific comeback. The 32-year-old has spent parts of three seasons with the Braves, going 15–10 with a 2.23 ERA (229.2-IP, 57-ER) and a 10.1 SO/9 IP ratio. The lefty has not pitched in a major league game since the 2012 National League Wild Card Game due to Tommy John surgeries in 2013 and 2014. Last season, he had a 2.28 ERA (23.2-IP, 6-ER) in 24 games in the Rays organization, appearing with the GCL Rays, Charlotte, Montgomery and Durham. Venters made at least 65 appearances in the majors in three straight seasons from 2010–12, and was named to the NL All-Star Team in 2011. The 30th round pick of the Braves in 2003 was originally signed with the Rays as a minor league free agent in March 2015.

Wong: split last season with Montgomery and Durham, batting .261/.322/.348 (110-for-422) with 22 doubles, five home runs and 48 RBI in 117 games. The 22-year-old was selected by the Rays in the fourth round of the 2013 June Draft out of Waiakea High School in Hawaii. The younger brother of the Cardinals Kolten Wong, Kean has hit .284/.333/.358 (528-for-1,861) with 13 home runs and 186 RBI over parts of five seasons.

The Tampa Bay Rays received word Sunday night that they were eliminated from the competition to sign Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani. The team hoped their commitment to letting him be a two-way player based on their experience with top draft pick Brendan McKay and their small-market size, writes Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) would be beneficial in their pursuit of the 23 year-old pitcher/outfielder.

However, Ohtani and his CAA reps allegedly couldn’t get over the geography and appear to be focused on west coast markets. Apparently the west coast of Florida, where the Rays call home, is not the west coast they were focused on.

I digress.

The Yankees — who many had considered to be the favorites — along with the Red Sox, Mets, Blue Jays, Pirates, Diamonbacks, Brewers, Twins and Athletics are also out of the running.

Only the Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Padres, Mariners, Rangers and Cubs will receive meetings with Ohtani, who now has three weeks to negotiate with teams. It is thought that he could make a decision before that point so that he could be introduced by his new club at the Winter Meetings next week, in Orlando.

Per Topkin Rays officials declined to comment on the news, as they had about their initial interest in Ohtani, out of respect for the process.